


Greif, Wrath, and Regret

by Romanwrites



Category: Mystery Skulls Animated
Genre: I Tried, I had a sad idea and I just ran with it, I wanted to flesh this out more, I wanted to put more Vivi in there but decided against it, I'm Sorry, Im still fairly new to writing stories, Implied Murder, Maybe - Freeform, Murder, Other, Overuse of italics, and Arthur, and I wanted to put ??? in here but I was like "nah", and its over 1000 words, arthur is fucking dead, but it's still like 800 words longer than what I usually write, first MSA fic woohoo, good job me, i don't know how to tag uhh, idk man, it's not graphic enough to warrent a archive warning but it's still there, just a lot of death, just be careful, ooc possibly?, overuse of elipsis, overuse of emotions, so I didn't lol, sorry Lewis, this is still pretty short tho, warning uh theres a part where a dudes arm is ripped off so uh, whoops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-01
Updated: 2018-11-01
Packaged: 2019-08-13 23:57:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16482191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Romanwrites/pseuds/Romanwrites
Summary: I've been on a mystery Skulls kick since Hellbent came out, so I wrote something really sad for it.





	Greif, Wrath, and Regret

Lewis was stunned. He looked down into the deep cavern of the false cave that he had conjured up. No one was there. The thick purple fog had covered up any trace of a living (or non-living) being.

  
Arthur. He had dropped him. Lewis had dropped Arthur into the bed of sharp stalagmites on the cave floor. It was no accident. Lewis knew full well what he was doing. He was giving Arthur his just deserves, right? Yes, that’s what he was doing. He was getting revenge on the one who had slain him. It was fair, right? Of course it was.

  
Then… why did it feel so _wrong_?

  
He shut his eyes tightly, trying to shake off these thoughts. He had an urge to go down to the cave floor and see what had become of his old friend, but at the same time, he just wanted to leave, unsure of Arthur’s fate. Something told him he didn't want to see.

  
However, when Lewis opened his eyes again, the scene around him changed. He was still in the cave, that was for sure, but it wasn’t the same cave that he was in moments before. The purple-pink hue had been replaced with one of various shades of green.

  
He scanned the cave walls for a few seconds, before realizing just exactly where he was. Of course he did, this was a night he had thought about every single day since his death. How could he _forget_?

  
He heard a familiar voice from nearby. Many familiar voices, actually.

  
“Hmm… looks like there are two different ways. Maybe we should split up.”

  
“Yeah, good idea Viv. We’ll cover more ground that way.”

  
Lewis turned around, and sure enough, he saw Vivi, himself, Mystery… and Arthur. He scowled. Why was he being forced to relive this horrific night again? Was he being taunted? Punished? Lewis tried to walk in another direction, but some sort of invisible force was keeping him in place. He groaned deeply. Whatever, he had already re-lived this memory in his own mind countless times, what was one more?

  
The scene continued.

  
“Are you sure we should do that? That sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.” Arthur said, cowardly holding onto past Lewis’ shoulders, voice low and shaky.  The Lewis in the present stared hatefully at his former friend. He seemed to trust Lewis so much, but of course he didn’t. If he really did trust him, Lewis would still be alive, right?

  
“I agree with Arthur. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t trust this place. Not in the slightest.” Mystery chimed in, scowling slightly.

  
“Aww don’t be so paranoid you two! We’ll check these last two areas and then we’ll be out of here lickety-split! Sound good?” Vivi exclaimed in her perpetual bubbly, overly cheerful voice. Lewis never realized how much he would miss that voice.

  
“…Alright,” Mystery replied “but I’m going with you. It’s best we stay together to an extent.” Mystery was always very protective of his friends, especially Vivi.

  
“I guess that means you’re coming with me, Art!” His past self said gleefully. Lewis cringed.  
Arthur audibly gulped, but still ended up following Lewis, while Vivi and Mystery went in the other direction.

  
At least, that's what Lewis remembered.

  
Mystery paused, looking down the path that Arthur and Lewis had traveled down, ears flat against his head. He looked very concerned. This was strange. Lewis didn’t recall Mystery going with him and Arthur…

  
“Mystery, are you coming?” Vivi said, noticing the dogs hesitation.

  
“...You go on by yourself. I’m gonna follow Lewis and Arthur. I’ll join back up with you later. Be careful.”

  
Vivi paused before responding “Alright Mystery, you go on.”

  
Lewis furrowed his brow as he watched the scene transpire further. The same invisible force was slowly moving him forward, forcing him to follow himself, Arthur, and Mystery.

  
It wasn't long before the three of them made it to the edge of the cliff. Lewis mentally cursed himself for turning his back to Arthur.

  
“That is… a _long_ way down. Be careful around here, Arthur.” His past self said. Arthur didn't respond. In fact, Arthur didn't move at all. Lewis stared at him intently.

  
Except, something was different. Something was _wrong._

  
The look on Arthur's face wasn't one of anger or resentment. He almost looked sad, scared. Why did he look so upset? This isn't exactly what Lewis pictured.

  
And then he saw Arthur's arm.

  
Starting at Arthur's fingertips, his left arm started to turn a bright green that matched the green hue of the cave. It wasn't long before the green color had crept up to his face, and the whites of his eye turned a deep black. His sunset colored eyes were replaced with a vibrant green.

  
Lewis…

did not remember this.

  
Lewis didn't remember much from his actual death, admittedly. He remembered looking over the edge of the cliff, hearing Arthur call his name, turning around, and feeling a  shove. Seeing a malevolent grin. Falling fast, hearing an ear piercing scream that wasn’t his own, and a sharp impact. Not much beyond that.

  
Arthur started shaking violently as the green on his skin began to spread.

  
“Lewis?”

  
The specter flinched. That call didn’t sound like one to trick him or get his attention as he had always thought. It sounded like a cry for help. A cry born from pure desperation and fear.

  
One side of Arthur’s face looked like what he remembered, a malevolent and crazed grin with a murderous gleam in his eyes, the other, scared, horrified.

  
The moment the still living Lewis turned around to look at his friend, Arthur lunged forward and shoved him off of the cliff with great force.

  
Lewis stared as he saw his former self falling into the darkness below, screaming all the way. Once the screaming stopped abruptly, it was replaced with another scream. One that belonged to Vivi. He wanted to float down to where he knew she was, but he couldn’t move.

  
“L-lewis?”

  
The spirit turned his attention back to Arthur, who was staring off the edge of a cliff, shaking like a leaf.

  
“Lewis? Lewis?! Oh god. Oh no,” Arthur exclaimed, “Oh no, no, no, no, _no, no!_ _No! NO!_ ” His voice shook violently, a stream of tears flowing steadily from his right eye. Regret and horror were laced in his voice, clear as day. Lewis stared, confounded and shocked.  
This isn’t… what really happened right? Arthur killed him to get Vivi, right? He wanted Lewis dead... right? This _can't_ be how it went.

  
In midst of all the chaos, Lewis almost didn't notice the fierce growling from behind him. Almost.

  
“Arthur, what have you done?!”

  
Lewis turned around, and froze. There stood Mystery, but he looked... very different. He looked more like a fox than a dog, with 7 long tails. Lewis recognized the creature as a kitsune, a fox-like creature that Vivi and her family (particularly her grandmother) had spoken about before. He never believed in any of that stuff personally, but there one was. Standing right in front of him.

  
Arthur whipped around to look at Mystery, clutching his green arm tightly. The moment Mystery saw Arthur's full face, his expression turned into one of deep concern. “Oh no,” he said softly, reeling back slightly.

  
Before any of them could think, Mystery lunged at Arthur, grabbing his arm between his sharp teeth. Arthur yelped in surprise and shock, before attempting to get Mystery to let go.

  
“Mystery! What the h **ELL ARE _YOU DOING_**?!"

 

Lewis reflexively backed off as Arthur’s voice turned into an angry shout, his voice turning deeper and almost demonic-sounding.

  
Lewis paused as he realized what was going on. Arthur was… possessed by… something. Something that had made Arthur kill him. Something that made Arthur murder his _best friend._

  
He felt his nonexistent breath quicken. He remembered the fear of plummeting towards his inevitable demise, the fear and shock of waking up, the absolute devastation and betrayal of remembering what happened to him…

  
Did… did he just-

  
Lewis’ thoughts were interrupted by another pained scream, courtesy of Arthur. Looking up again, Lewis saw that Mystery has forced Arthur to the ground with one of his front paws, and was currently tugging hard on the possessed arm. Lewis realized in horror that Mystery was attempting to rip it off.

  
Lewis thought that the sight and sound of Arthur screaming and begging for mercy is what he had wanted… but he was definitely, _terribly_ mistaken. From the moment he heard it he knew it was something he _never_ wanted to hear again.

  
Lewis attempted to look away, avoiding the gruesome scene. He shut his eyes tight, just hoping this whole vision or whatever the hell it was would go away. Almost as if on cue, the screaming stopped, and Lewis heard a dull wet thud, followed by complete and udder silence. He slowly opened one of his eyes, and immediately regretted doing so.

  
He saw Arthur on the cave floor, unconscious, and lacking an arm. There was a steadily growing pool of blood under him. Mystery was standing over him, his severed arm still clenched between his teeth. Lewis felt like he was about to vomit (if he still had a stomach).

  
Just then Mystery looked directly at him, his gleaming red eyes meeting his.

  
“Mystery?”

  
Mystery stared at him for a little while longer, eyes full of resentment. Somehow, through this odd vision, Mystery was able to see Lewis clear as day, and Mystery was _definitely_ not happy with him. Part of Lewis knew why, but he didn’t want to admit it.

  
He blinked, and just like that, the scene around him changed again. Judging by the thick green fog looming above him, he was still in this “flashback”, but in a different part of the cave. It looked to be the place that Vivi had walked down, right where he had woken up...

  
When he looked up, he saw himself. Dead. Impaled on a spike, right through his heart.

  
Lewis stepped back a few paces, taken aback. He turned away from the horrid sight and shut his eyes tight. He didn’t want this. He didn’t ask for any of this.

  
When he opened his eyes, the scene changed once again.

  
He looked to be back in the “present”, but he was still in that spot at the bottom of the cave. But rather than seeing himself, he saw someone else.

  
Arthur.

  
Impaled in multiple parts of his body, completely limp.

  
“Arthur?”

  
No response.

  
“Art? Artie?”

  
He stayed silent, unmoving.

  
“I know it wasn’t you. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

  
Nothing.

  
“Let me make this right. Please get up. Please.”

  
Lewis crashed to the ground, magenta tears rolling down his face.  


"Please..."

 

Arthur Kingsmen was no murderer.

  
But now, Lewis Pepper was.  
  



End file.
